Despite the club setting up special information booths to held fans get into the troubled Colonial Stadium for the Demons' first game there, many still missed the opening bounce when caught outside in yet another disaster for the AFL at the ground.

Inside it was a blistering performance by Jeff Farmer which blew the Eagles away, his 7 goals the biggest tally by any player in matches between the two clubs. He had helped himself 7.2, including one of his weekly goal of the year contenders - kicked out of mid air on the run - before leaving the game with hamstring soreness in the fourth quarter. Jeff White dominating the centre was another major driver of the Demons' success. At the other end David Neitz was proving a sizeable roadblock for the Eagles forwards, pulling in ten marks and continually repelling forward advances.

The result equalled Melbourne's biggest ever win against the Eagles so far, set in Round 21, 1987 at the MCG. Had the Demons kicked more efficiently they might have racked up an even bigger win over the hapless visitors.

Other than the men who scored the Brownlow votes Stephen Powell was the best.

Neale Daniher said "I really rate the West Coast and our young blokes are playing against the Kemps, Materas and Jakovichs and McIntoshes and these sort of boys and it was a credit to them that they mixed it with those players."